


Upping The Ante

by dollteeth



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Explicit Language, Foreshadowing, Gen, Humor, Marauders' Era, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-17
Updated: 2011-01-17
Packaged: 2017-10-14 20:14:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dollteeth/pseuds/dollteeth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Never underestimate your opponent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Upping The Ante

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in August 2005.

“He’s bluffing,” James said lightly, fidgeting with one of his peppermints. “I can see it in his eyes.”

Remus swallowed a mouthful of ice cream and grinned. “James, have you forgotten that you folded? You can’t call a bluff after you’ve folded. Don’t make me dock points off Gryffindor, now.”

James rolled his eyes. “I’m not calling, I’m just commentating. I think he twitched, look, he’s nervous.”

“He twitched because he’s trying not to laugh at you,” Peter pointed out, looking up from his cards. “You’re just trying to trick me.”

Sirius glanced between James and Peter, still forcing his face into a deadpan. “Do you want to up the ante, Peter?” he asked, pretending to yawn lazily.

Peter frowned at his cards for a moment, looking uncertain. “I’ll raise you six humbugs and a Chocolate Frog.”

“Ballsy,” Remus commented, reaching around James’s back to swipe one of his cupcakes.

Sirius raised an eyebrow and nudged a stack of caps into the middle of the floor. “Eight mints, then, and...” He browsed in his bag of candy for a moment, then produced four Cinnamon Snapdragons.

James and Remus stared at him.

“He’s bluffing,” James repeated incredulously.

“Or he’s got a really good hand,” said Remus. “You’d have to be crazy to put down _one_ Snapdragon on a bluff, much less four.”

“You’re talking about the heir to the noble and most ancient House of Bugfuck,” James retorted. “No offense, Sirius.”

“None taken.” Sirius unwrapped one of his peppermints and stuffed it in his mouth. “I’ll understand if you want to fold, of course, Pete.”

Peter flipped him a V-sign. “You’re not taking me down _that_ way, Black.”

“Can you match the bet?”

“I could if I wanted, but I won’t.” He gave Sirius a lofty look across the pile of candy. “Call.”

Remus put a hand to his forehead as though he had a headache. James held his breath.

Sirius’s deadpan shifted into a disconcertingly Slytherin smirk and he turned his wrist so Peter could see his hand. “Read them and weep,” he said triumphantly. “I believe this round belongs to —”

He stopped gloating, however, when Peter wordlessly spread his cards across the floorboards. Remus and James both leaned over to get a better look.

“Well,” said Peter smugly, “I think I just kicked your noble and most ancient arse. Want to play again?”


End file.
